"So is the insect in the web--from all other insects but the spider."

She turned away. "You cannot blame me, Herr Hauptmann, if I judge of the future by the past."

"I would waste words to make further explanations which are so little understood, but there are matters of interest to you."

"Ah."

"You have been ill. Many things have happened. You would like to hear?"

"I am listening."

"It is the trifles of the world which make or prevent its greatest disasters. The man with the lantern at the bridgehead at Brod did not know that he held the destiny of Europe in his hand. And yet, this is the truth. Had he permitted us to pass unquestioned we should have reached Sarajevo in time to prevent the greatest cataclysm of all the ages."

Marishka turned toward him, her interest now fully aroused.

"What do you mean?"

"War, Countess Strahni--the most bloody--terrible--in the history of the world--the event that I have striven all my life to prevent. All of Europe is ablaze. Millions of men are marching--battles have already been fought----"

"Horrible? I cannot believe----"

"It is the truth. It followed swiftly upon the assassination at Sarajevo----"

"Serbia!"

"Serbia first--then Russia--Germany--Belgium--France--England, too----"

"You are speaking the truth?"

"I swear it."

"And Austria?"

"Germany and Austria--against a ring of enemies bent on exterminating us----"

"England--?"

And while with eager ears she listened, he told her the history of the long weeks, now growing into months, in which she had been hidden from the world--including the defeat of the Austrians by the Serbians along the Drina, and the advance of the Russians in East Prussia and Galicia.

She heard him through until the end, questioning eagerly, then aware of the dreadful significance of his news, forgetting for the moment her own animosities, her own questionable position in the greater peril of her country--and his. His country and hers at war against the world!

"Russia has won victories against Austria--in Galicia?" she urged.

"Yes--the Cossacks already are approaching Lemberg----"

"Lemberg!"

"They are less than two hundred kilometers from us at the present moment."

"And will they come--here?"

"I hope not," he said with a slow smile. "But Schloss Szolnok is hardly equipped to resist a siege of modern ordnance."

"And you--why are you here?"

The ingenuousness of her impetuous question seemed to amuse him.

"I?" he said. "I am here because--well, because you--because I had no other place to go."

"Will you explain?"

"I see no reason why I should not. I chose the place as a temporary refuge from pursuit. Your illness marred my plans. The war continues to mar them."

"How?"

He smiled.

"The insect _has_ curiosity, then? Schloss Szolnok has proved safe. I have no desire to take unnecessary risks."

"You were pursued?"

He nodded. "Yes. And I managed to get away--here, but the other end of this pass is now strongly guarded. I could have gone through when I first came, but you were very ill. You would probably have died if I had gone on. Now it is too late. You see," he said with a shrug, "I am quite cheerful about it."

She turned and examined him with an air of timidity.

"You mean that--that to save my life you--you have sacrificed all hope of winning through to Germany?"

"With you, yes--for the present," he smiled.

She turned away and leaned upon the wall.

"I--I think that I--I have done you some injustice, Herr Hauptmann," she murmured with an effort.

"Thank you."

"But I cannot understand. The papers which passed you through Hungary--signed by General Von Hoetzendorf----"

"Unfortunately are of no further service. An order for my arrest has been issued in Vienna."

"Your arrest? For taking me?"

"For many things----" And he shrugged.

"What do you propose to do?"

"Remain here for the present," he said slowly. "It is doubtful if anyone would think of seeking us here. The Schloss has an evil name along the countryside. None of the peasants dares to come within a league of the place."

"And I--?" she asked.

"It seems, Countess Strahni," he said slowly, smiling at her, "that our positions are now reversed--you the captor--I the prisoner. And yet, as you see," with a shrug, "I am making no effort to escape. You have led captivity captive."